Joseph rodriguez



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

y (No Model.)

J. RODRIGUEZ.

STATION INDICATOR.

No. 507,168. Patented ont. 24, 1893.

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5 74. Jasv d1 2 sheets-sheet 2Q (No Model.) f

J. RODRIGUEZ. STATIGN INDICATOR No. 507,168. Patented 001;. 24, 1893.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH RODRIGUEZ, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

STATION-INDICATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 507,168. dated October24, 1 893.

Application filed March 28,1893. Serial No. 468,022. (No model.)

use the same.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in stationindicators, and is designed to furnish means readily operated by thetrain conductor or brakeman for indicating to the passengers, afterleaving each one of the several stations, the name of the nextsucceeding station on the line.

To this end, my invention consists in mechanism organized to presentsuccessively through the glass-protected sight opening of a suitableindicator box or casing the names of the way stations in regularsuccession, said names beinginscribed or printed upon a strip ofilexible fabric which passes over two idle rollers arranged so as tocause the fabricto pass in close proximity to the rear surface of theglass protecting plate. The opposite ends of the fabric are securedrespectively to two additional rollers in the rear of the idle rollersreferred to, and the fabric is wound from the one to the other, one ofthese Winding rollers being provided with a spring tension device so asto automatically maintain the fabric in a taut condition in spite of theconstantly increasing difference in the diameters of the two windingrollers as the fabric is unrolled from the one on to the other. Thefabric is preferably secured to the winding rollers by being held nearits ends in longitudinal slots made in the said rollers, a strip ofsteel serving to hold the fabric in the slots, together with theadditional security afforded by the subsequent wrapping of the fabricaround the rollers and over the steel securing strip. As an efficientsafeguard against overwinding the rollers in either direction and thusdetaching the fabric from one or the other of them, I provide means forpositively stopping and interrupting the roller-actuating mechanism, soas to prevent its being operated farther when the fabric has beenunwound from the one roller and wound up on the other roller to thelimit of its prescribed movement in either direction. I also providemeans for insuring that each actuation of the operating mechanism,corresponding to one station, shall bring the name of that stationexactlyopposite the sight opening of the indicator casing so as to beful/ly in view of the passengers. The specific means whereby theseseveral results are attained are hereinafter described and particularlypointed out in the claims, and will be fully understood by reference tothe accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure l represents a front view ofan indicator casing adapted to receive my improved mechanism and todisplay the station names through the sight opening as shown. Fig. 2represents a similar View of the mechanism with the front plate of thecasing removed and a portion of the fabric shown as broken away so as toshow the parts behind. Fig. 3 represents a central longitudinal section.Fig. 4 represents a transverse section taken on a plane indicated by theline 4 4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 represents a face view of the device foroperating the actuating mechanism of the indicator. Figs. 6, 7, 8, 9 andl0 represent detail views of the same; and Figs. ll and l2 representlongitudinal and transverse sections of the spring-containing end cap ofthe winding roller.

Similar letters of reference indicate similar parts throughout theseveral views.

Referring to the drawings, A indicates a suitable indicator displaycasing which may be of any size or dimensions appropriate to theparticular width and length of the fabric, and the height of the lettersinscribed or printed thereon. A glass-protecting plate B serves toexclude dust from the interior mechanism and is provided with atransparent place through which the naines of the stations are tosuccessively appear. I preferably inscribe upon the glass plate B abovethe sight opening, the word Next in order that it may be clearlyunderstood that the particular name displayed is the name of the nextstation on the route of travel. The casing with its contents is mountedor supported IOO at any part of the car, sufficiently prominent for thepurpose, and at such aheight as to be conveniently accessible to theoperator.

Immediately in the rear of the glass plate are arranged the idle rollersa. which are adapted to rotate freely in suitable bearings. The fabricb, upon which the names of the stations are inscribed or printed insuccession, passes over the rollers ct and that portion of the fabricwhich passes the sight opening is constantly held close to the glass andfiat, whatever may be the amount of the fabric wound on the windingrollers proper, or whatever portion of the fabric may be on the onewinding roller or the other.

One of the winding rollers c is journaled in bearings and is providedwith a longitudinal slot within which the doubled edge of the fabric isforced and is held in place therein by a steel strip (l inserted in theslot after the fabric edge has been inserted and between the folds ofsaid edge, as shown, so as to wedge the fabric in place. I prefer thismanner of connecting the fabric to the roller, ratherthan by tacking itthereto,because the fabric may be readily removed when desired for anypurpose. The opposite end of the fabric is in like manner removablyconnected to the winding roller e by a similar longitudinal slot andsteel wedge piece d, as will be readily understood. It is also to benoted that sufficient selvage or margin is to be left at the ends of thefabric beyond the final naines as they appear through the sight openingto permit the fabric to preserve at least one turn around the rollerswhen unwonnd to the limit prescribed; thereby always leaving at leastone wrappin g of fabric around the roller to insure against the steelwedge working out of place and releasing the fabric.

The winding roller c is provided with agear c aihxed so as to turn withit, and this gear meshes with a driving gear f, which in turn mesheswith a gear e. The gear e is not connected directly to the windingroller e, but is fixed upon a short arbor g suitably journaled, andwhich passes freely through a cap-piece h rigidly affixed upon theproximate end of the roller e. A volute spring i is connected at one endto the interior wall of the cappiece h and at the other end to the arborg. The connection between the arbor g and roller e is therefore a springconnection. It Will be evident that the driving gear f when revolvedrotates the gears c e in such direction that the fabric is wound fromthe one winding drum upon the other. The gears e' c being of equal sizeare rotated in equal periods of time by the driving'gear and if bothgears e c were rigidly affixed to their shafts, the result would be thatthe mechanism would soon come to a complete stop, for the reason that asthe diameter of the one winding roller increased over thecorrespondingly diminishing diameter of the other the former rollerwould constantly demand a greater quantity of fabric than the lattercould furnish in equal revolutions of the two; but, byinterposing thespring connection between the gear e and the winding roller e I providea means for compensating for the differences in diameter referred to.Thus as the roller c increases in diameter by reason of the fabric itdraws from the roller e it causes the roller e to revolve more than oneof its revolutions, thereby exerting a tension upon the spring t', whichtension tends constantly to keep the fabric taut, while at the same timeenabling the roller e to continuously supply the amount required bytheroller c and without blocking the operation of the gearing, or puttingundue strain upon the fabric itself.

The gearj is fixed upon a shaft having a squared end over which fits asocket Z formed in a tubular extension of a revoluble drive plate n.This drive plate has a single aperture n within which fits the forwardend r of a pivoted lever p, said end r being of sufficient length toalso enter any one of a series of radial openings m of a fixed plate mwhen the aperture n registers therewith. A spring s tends to constantlydepress the end rof the lever, and the opposite end of the leverprojects as a thumb-piece tthrough the upper surface of a turn button o,constituting an operating knob or handle for actuating the mechanism.The turn button 'u is provided with a base flange o', whereby it isscrewed to the plate n as shown in Fig. 6. An annulus or ring w, extendsover the fiange fu to hold the plate n and turn button 1; in place whilepermitting them to be rotated and an intermediate spacing ring w is alsoprovided, the rings w and w' being connected by screws to the plate fm.The radial openings m' in the plate m correspond in distribution to thestation names on the fabric, the relationship between the two beingsuchthat as the drive plate n is revolved a distance corresponding to thedistance between two adjacent openings m the fabric will be movedsufficiently to display the next station name through the sight openingof the indicator. Moreover, inasmuch as the pivoted lever engages eachtime with one of the openings in', the station names are brought withthe greatest precision exactly opposite said sight opening, without anyspecial attention on the part of the operator.

The shaft f upon which the gearf is fixed is externally screw threadedas shown and is provided with longitudinal recesses z wherebystop-pieces w2 may be rigidly but adjustably fixed upon the shaft.Between the stoppieces a nut a: intermeshes with the screw thread of theshaft, so as to travel backward or forward thereon according as theshaft rotates in the one direction or the other. The nut has a stemprojection as running freely between guides y, and is provided at itsoppositie ends with cam surfaces terminating in being turned farther inthat direction andl therefore the fabric is prevented from beingsubjected to a strain that would separate it from the winding roller. Itwillbe evident that the height and width of the letters may be variedaccording to circumstances. In the illustration given, one completerevolution of the plate n causes six station names to appear one afteranother opposite the sight opening. If the numbers are made higher, sothat for the same single revolution of the plate n only three stationnames appear opposite the sight opening, the radial openings m will bereduced to three also; and so on, the number ofradial openings in theplatem corresponding always to the number of station names appearingopposite the sight open- 1ng with every complete revolution of the platen.

In operating the indicator the conductor or brakeman presses upon theprojecting button or end t of the pivoted lever until the opposite endfr' of the lever is lifted from engagement with the particular opening min which it is engaged at the time. The button o is then turned untilthe pivoted lever end engages with the next one' of the openings m', andat the end of this movement the next station number appears through thesight opening. In this manner, after leaving each station, the name ofthe next succeeding station is made to appear upon the indicator, and atthe end of the route the mechanism becomes locked against furtheroperation in the same direction by means of the nut and correspondingstop piece on the threaded shaft. On the return trip, it can be operatedin the opposite direction.

It will be evident that the invention may be applied not only as astation indicator, but also to display any other signs or indicationsthat may be inscribed or printed upon a similar fabri Y Having thusdescribed my invention, what I claim isl. An apparatus for indicatingthe names of railway stations and the like, provided with a travelingband upon which the names are to be inscribed, two winding rollers towhich the opposite ends of the traveling band are connected, gearing foractuating the winding rollers, and an automatic stop for blocking thegearing when the band has reached the limit of its travel from one ofthe winding rollers to the other; substantially as described.

2. An apparatus for indicating the names of railway stations and thelike, provided with a traveling band upon which the names are to beinscribed, two winding rollers to which the opposite ends of thetraveling band are connected, gearing for driving the two windingrollers simultaneously, a screw-shaft connected with the gearing andhaving a stop, and a traveling nut upon the screw-shaft cooperating withthe stop; substantially as described.

3. An apparatus for indicating the names of railway stations and thelike, provided with a traveling band upon which the names are to beinscribed, two winding rollers to which opposite ends of the travelingband are connected, gearing for driving the two winding rollerssimultaneously, a screw-shaft connected with the gearing and having twostops, and a traveling nut upon lthe screw-shaft intermediate of the twostops and co-operating therewith; substantially as described.

4. An apparatus for indicating the names of railway stations and thelike, provided with a traveling band upon which the names are to beinscribed, two winding rollers to which the opposite ends of thetraveling band are connected, gearing for driving the two windingrollersY simultaneously, a screw-shaft connected with the gearing andhaving two stops adjustable upon said shaft, and a traveling nut uponthe screw-shaft intermediate of the two adjustable stops andco-operating therewith substantially as described.

5. An apparatus for indicating the names of railway stationsy and thelike, provided'with a traveling band upon which the names are to beinscribed, two winding rollers to which the opposite ends of the bandare connected, cog-gears upon the ends of the rollers, and intermediatecog-gear meshing with the roller gears, a screw-shaft connected with theintermediate gear and having two stops secured thereon, and a travelingnut upon the screwshaft intermediate of the stops and having atail-piece, and a longitudinal guide-way in which'said tail-piece moves;substantially as described.

6. In an apparatus forindicating the names of railway stations and thelike, the combination with the gearing of an operating device therefor,said device consisting of a turnplate having apawl pivoted thereon, saidturn plate being provided with a notch or slot into which the end of thepawl enters, and a xed plate beneath the turn plate, said fixed platehaving a series of notches or slots registering with the turn-platenotch or slot as the turn plate is revolved; substantially as described.

7. In an apparatus for indicating the names of railway stations and thelike, the combination with the gearing, of an operating device therefor,said device consisting of a turnplate having a pawl pivoted thereon,said turn-plate being provided with a notch or slotinto which one end ofthe pawl enters IOO ITO

and having a slotted turn-button through In testimony WhereofI affix mysignaturein whfioh the opposite end of the pawl projects, presence oftwo witnesses.

an a fixed plate beneath the turn-plate,sa,id 1 A f Xed plate having aseries of notches or slots JOSEPH RODRIGUE' registering with theturn-p1ate notch or slot, VVibnesses:

as the turn-plate is revolved; substantially as NATHAN L. HAHN,

described. JAMES E. HILLS.

